Means for elevating and depressing propellers



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- R. L. STEVENS. MEANS FOR ELEVATING AND-DEPRESMNG PROPELLERS.

Patented Sept. 20, 1881.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. L. STEVENS.

MEANS FOR ELEVATING AND DEPRESSING PROPELLERS.

. No. 247,429 Patented Sept. 20,1881.

WITNE i INVENTOR: 4% fiowmw I ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Phowumn m m. \Vaslmglcll. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

ROBERT L. STEVENS, OF ALBANY, OREGON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,429, dated September 20, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT L. STEVENS, of Albany, Linn county, Oregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steamboats,of which thefollowing is a specification.

Myimprovementsrelate to stcamboats having paddle-wheels, whether at the stern or sides, and have for their object the raising and lowering of the wheels and their driving-engines in such a way that whether the vessel be loaded or unloaded the paddles shall strike at the angle and depth most compatible with speed and power.

The invention combines a series of screwshafts arranged for simultaneous movement by the driving-engine and supporting the paddle and engine, whereby such parts can be raised and lowered without interfering with the proper working of the engine, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the rear portion of a sternwheelboatcontainingmyimprovedmechanism, and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on line a: w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The paddle-wheel A and its shaft a are-supported at the stern of the vessel B by boxes b b, which are formed with side flanges, 0 0, entering grooves formed in fixed posts d (1, so that the boxes are free to be raised and lowered. Screw-shafts c e, firmly supported atthe top and bottom, pass through the flanges 0 of the boxes I), which are apertured and threaded to engage the screws, so that the boxes, with the wheel and shaft, are sustained by the screws.

On the lower ends of the screws 0, at each side, there are bevel-gear wheels f f, meshing with similar gears on shafts g g, that are fitted longitudinally of the vessel at each side.

Two engines are shown, of which it h are the cylinders, Z Z the slides, and 'i t the pistonrods, connected by rods k is to cranks on the ends of shaft a, as usual. The slides l and cylinders h are provided with or attached to nuts m 'm m, that are upon vertical screw-shafts Application filed July 15, 1881. (No model.)

n n n, by which the engines are sustained. The lower ends of screws a carry bevel-gears 0, meshing with similar wheels on the shafts g.

The inboard ends of the shafts g are conof the worms and pinions, and the shaft 19 is to be operated by either paddle-wheel engine or by an engine provided for that purpose.

With these arrangements it is evident that the paddle-wheel and engines can be simultaneously raised and lowered, and the wheel thus positioned for most effective action, according to the load on the vessel. The wheel can also be raised for navigation in shallow water. By raising the engines at the same time its proper operation is not hindered. The mechanism is not complicated, and adds but slightly to the weight. To save weight the screw-shafts may be made hollow.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 is intended to reduce the weight of parts. In this case the cylinders it are hung for oscillation on trunnions h, and the slides Z connected to the cylinders so as to retain their proper relative position. A screw, it, is fitted in connection with a nuton each slide, for swinging the slide and cylinder and sustaining them. The boxes of the wheel-shaft are fitted with the screws 0, as before described, and the screws enconmeet with a shaft, g, for simultaneous operation. 'The movement being in an are from the trunnions h, the screws and bevel-gearingwill be proportioned to obtain the variation in movement; also, to allow vertical movement of the boxes b, the piston and eccentric rods will be fitted with right and left hand screw turn-buckles, as shown, on the rod 6, so that the rods can be lengthened and shortened.

The invention can be applied in connection with side paddle-wheels and beam-engines by changing the relative position of the parts. With a beam-engine the cylinder and beam do not need to be adjusted, it being necessary only to lengthen or shorten the connecting-rod.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination,, with the paddle-wheel A at the stern of a vessel, B, of the boxes I) I), having flanges c, the grooved posts at d, the screw-shafts 6, working in said flanges, the 5 bevel-wheelsf on the ends of said screws, the

longitudinal shafts g g, having wheels meshin g with said wheels f, the screws 01, carrying bevel-wheels meshing with wheels on said shafts g, the cross-shaft 10, having worms p, the pinions g on shafts g, and the nuts m,c0n- 1o neeted with cylinders hand slides I, as and for the purpose specified.

ROBERT LIVINGSTON STEVENS. Witnesses:

R. G. STRAHAN, L. BILYEN. 

